Historical background of the book of Ezekiel: (BKC) During these final years Ezekiel was ministering in Babylon, predicting the coming collapse of Jerusalem. His message fell on deaf ears till word of the city’s destruction was received in Babylon. The fall of the city prompted a change in Ezekiel’s prophetic message. Before Jerusalem fell, Ezekiel’s message focused on Judah’s forthcoming destruction because of her sin. After Jerusalem’s fall, Ezekiel’s message centered on Judah’s future restoration.
Background:
v.3b Then a wind lifted me up between the earth and sky and brought me to Jerusalem by divine visions
He saw the statue in the gate of the inner court v.3,5. To his surprise, he saw the glory of God there v.4.
Ob and In:
1. Repeated word: abominations v.6x2, 9, 13, 15, 17, detestable images v.10
Abominations=(COED) a cause of hatred or disgust.
=(BDB) ritual sense: idolatrous practices (sometimes with other illegal acts)
Great abominations: The worshipping of the statue in the temple court of the LORD was described as the great abominations, and that drive God far away from His sanctuary. v.6
The greater abominations is yet to be shown v.6, it is also called the evil abomination v.9.
detestable=(NET) The word is often used to describe the figures of foreign gods.
every figure, every idol engraved on the wall=(BKC) Some have suggested these were idols of Egypt, or Canaan, or Babylon. Perhaps all those countries were represented in this pantheon of idolatry.
(BKC) God was being provoked to jealousy because a foreign god was receiving the homage that should have been His alone...God will not share His glory with an idol (cf. Isa. 42:8). If the idol inhabited the temple, God would leave.
Summary and reflection: Why did God stay far from His sanctuary? God did not share His worshipper with idols. Their worship was detestable to God. Do I allow idols in my heart so that even when I worship Him, my worship is detestable to God?
2. Repeated word:
a. secretive practice v.8 behold (discovered a doorway) v. 12 in the dark, the the chamber, the LORD does not see us!
b. he elders of the house of Israel
(BKC) Whatever the exact purpose of the incense, these leaders of Israel had abandoned the true God and were worshiping idols—each at the shrine of his own idol. Evidently each elder had his own favorite god...The elders felt that what they did in their darkened chambers would escape God’s notice. They thought He was only a petty god who had abandoned them. So they were courting other gods to protect them. These elders’ attitude was soon transmitted to the people (cf. Ezek. 9:9). The people’s progression of idolatry went from open display of idols to secret worship of idols under the very shadow of the Almighty.
Greater abominations: the leaders of Israel worship idols in secret.
Summary and reflection: What makes this a "greater" disgusting thing to God? Not only they abandoned God, but they think God had abandon them. If God had done that then why did they need to hide away from God when they worship idols.
Do I justify myself when I turn my back to God and think God has done me wrong first? Do I try to hide anything away from God?
They were worshipping other gods to protect them, and giving up on the LORD. In their minds, their safety was more important than Who God is. They just worship the One who did things according to their need. They could not face the judgement from God. Am I like them?
3. The even grater abominations v.13-16
Repeated word: Behold (I noticed/perceived/right there)
a. v.2 the theophany, v. 4 the glory of God in the inner gate
b. v.5 the statue of jealous at the entrance, v.7 the hole in the wall, v.8 the secret doorway, 10 detestable images and idols engraved on the wall, v.14 women weeping for Tammuz, v.16 25 men worshipping the sun at the entrance to the LORD's temple
From the idols in the temple to the secret images worshipping by the 70 elders, Ezekiel was still surprising when he saw the women weeping for Tammuz in the entrance of the gate of the LORD's house. Finally, he found and 25 men worshipping the sun at the entrance to the LORD's temple, between the porch and the altar.
Tammuz=(NET) The worship of Tammuz included the observation of the annual death and descent into the netherworld of the god Dumuzi. The practice was observed by women in the ancient Near East over a period of centuries.
(BKC) The worship of Tammuz also involved fertility rites. Worship of the true Giver of rain had been supplanted by the debased adoration of a pagan deity. The worship of the Creator was replaced by the worship of the cycles of creation He had established.
sun=(NET) The worship of astral entities may have begun during the reign of Manasseh (2 Kgs 21:5).
(BKC) This was where God’s priests should have been weeping and crying out to God for mercy because of their sin (cf. Joel 2:17)... Because of their location, these men were probably priests...These priests should have been acting as Israel’s mediators, crying to God for mercy.
with their backs to the LORD’s temple, facing east=(BKC) The entrance to God’s temple faced the east, so that when a person stood at the altar and faced the entrance he was looking west. But these priests were facing east! They had turned their backs on God and were bowing in submission and worship to the sun. This expressed contempt for the God of Israel and implied that they had disowned Him. This directly violated God’s command (Deut. 4:19).
In other words, not just the outside, but the inside of the temple was used to worship pagan idols by various groups of people. (BKC) the stage was set for judgment.
Summary and reflection: Perhaps to Ezekiel those were surprising, but not to God. God's spirit lifted him there, from outside to inside. God knows everyone of us, and He knows us very well. Do I try to replace Him? Turn my back to Him?
The surprising sins are outrageous. They could not escape from judgment. Neither do I if I do not confess my sins.
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